Passengers locked out of Apsley Station for two hours

Train-users were left steaming at Apsley Station this afternoon when the station entrance was locked for two hours, leaving them unable to leave or enter.

Rail bosses said the station had been left both locked and unmanned for around two hours from 12.40-2.40pm.

Credit: Jon Danzig

As a result passengers could neither leave when their trains arrived at Apsley, nor board trains to leave town.

Jon Danzig said: “It was like something from an Ealing comedy - or the Berlin Wall.

“Everyone stayed calm, but they were also very angry. And on both sides we could see the other people but we couldn’t get to each other.”

Although some passengers on each side were able to climb over the fenced area this was not an option for everybody, including Mr Danzig, even though it meant he missed an appointment in London.

He eventually gave up trying to get onto the station to catch a train after an hour’s wait, but not before seeing a member of staff arrive and struggle to get entrance to the station.

He said: “There had already been a crowd of people trying to get onto the station - when I arrived there were maybe 20 people and I wondered what was going on.”

“Then a member of staff arrived with a key - but she found that the lock was on the other side.

“She didn’t want to climb over, so she had to pass the key to passengers who were stuck in the station.

“In 20 years of using Apsley Station I’ve never known anything like this.”

A spokesman for West Midlands Trains said: “Although customers did try and help to unlock the gate, this issue was finally resolved by a senior conductor from a train coming through the station who managed to get the gates unlocked.

“The gates were locked at around 12.20pm and a manager attended the station as quickly as possible.

“We apologise to those customers who were caught up at the station and want to thank everyone for their patience in getting the situation resolved.”

Anyone who was affected is advised to claim compensation via the West Midlands Trains Delay Repay scheme at https://trib.al/mgLRbAO

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